In our second article highlighting the crucial work of the Society’s Corporate Liaison Committee, Tijana Mitić gives her perspective as a committee member.

Building relationships with industry can offer numerous benefits and opportunities, both for societies and academic institutions to fulfil their charitable aims, and for individuals to advance their careers. As a university lecturer, networking with industry partners enables me to stay current with industry trends, technologies and best practice.

At the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cardiovascular Science (CVS), we have invited several guest speakers from industry to the CVS External Seminar Series. Representatives from AstraZeneca, Synthego, Takeda and GenScript have presented their latest innovative developments. We have also hosted industry partners and arranged table-top displays for them to showcase their products and resources. Some of our industry partners have sponsored CVS seminars, helping to enhance the reputation of the series.

I have seen first-hand how engagement with industry can be pivotal for the professional development of early career researchers, inspiring them to undertake internships and work placements within industry. Several fruitful collaborations in this regard saw industry partners join CVS principal investigators as applicants on Medical Research Scotland PhD studentships. Beyond funding and grants, students have also been inspired to take extra courses during their PhD programmes, to better align with industry needs. In all, engaging with industry offers a myriad of advantages and avenues for professional growth.

TIJANA MITIĆ
University of Edinburgh